List of Oricon number-one singles of 2008

Pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki is the only female artist to have a number one single for 10 consecutive years.

The highest-selling singles in Japan are ranked in the Oricon Weekly Chart, which is published by Oricon Style magazine.[1] The data are compiled by Oricon based on each singles' weekly physical sales.[2] In 2008, 49 singles reached the peak of the chart.

R&B singer Namie Amuro's "60s 70s 80s" became her first number one single in nearly 10 years. The single made Amuro the only female Japanese artist to have a Top 10 single for 14 consecutive years.[3] Pop boy band NEWS' "Happy Birthday" made them the second group after the KinKi Kids to have 10 consecutive number one singles since their debut.[4] "Purple Line" made Korean pop boy band TVXQ the fifth non-Japanese Asian artist and the first male group to have a number one on the charts.[5] With the release of "Jumon: Mirotic" they became the only foreign artist to have four number ones on the chart.[6]

R&B singer Thelma Aoyama's "Soba ni Iru ne" became the fastest-selling single of 2008, selling over a million copies digitally.[7] The single was then certified by Guinness World Records as "the best selling download single in Japan".[8] Pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki's "Mirrorcle World" debuted atop the chart, this makes Hamasaki the only female artist to have a number one single for 10 consecutive years.[9] Technopop girl group Perfume's "Love the World" is the first technopop single to ever rank number one on the charts.[10] Mr. Children and Greeeen are the only two artists that had an extended run on the charts.

The best-selling single overall of 2008 was pop boy band Arashi's "Truth/Kaze no Mukō e", selling a little over 618,000 copies. Arashi's "One Love" also took the place as the second-best-selling single, which sold more than 524,000 copies, followed by pop rock band Southern All Stars' "I Am Your Singer" with 520,000 copies. The fourth- and fifth-best-selling singles of 2008 were "Kiseki" by Greeeen and "Shuchishin" (羞恥心, Shūchishin) by Shuchishin's, respectively.[11] "Truth/Kaze no Mukō e" and "One Love" taking the Top Two spots made Arashi the fifth artist to do so. This was last achieved by Princess Princess in 1989.[12]

  1. ^ "Oricon Entertainment Inc" (in Japanese). Japan Association of Professional Recording Studios. Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  2. ^ オリコンの音楽ソフト(シングル、アルバム)チャートについて (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  3. ^ "安室奈美恵、オリコン１位＆14年連続TOP10" (in Japanese). Barks. March 25, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  4. ^ "NEWS、キンキに続く史上2組目のデビュー10連勝達成！" (in Japanese). Oricon. October 7, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  5. ^ 동방신기 오리콘 위클리 1위 아시아-남성가수 최초 (in Korean). Newsen. January 22, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  6. ^ 東方神起、2008年トップとなる4作目のシングル首位！ (in Japanese). Oricon. October 21, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  7. ^ 青山テルマ、史上最速ミリオン達成 (in Japanese). Livedoor. March 11, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  8. ^ "Thelma Aoyama sets a Guinness World Record". Tokyograph. September 12, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  9. ^ あゆ、激戦を制して女性初の10年連続シングル1位獲得 (in Japanese). Oricon. April 15, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  10. ^ "Perfumeがテクノアーティスト史上初のシングル首位獲得！YMO以来25年ぶりの記録更新" (in Japanese). Oricon. July 15, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  11. ^ "Special article: Oricon ranking of the year 2008" (in Japanese). Oricon. December 11, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
  12. ^ 【年間ランキング】嵐、19年ぶりのシングル1位、2位独占 (in Japanese). Oricon. December 11, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2009.